US20230021715A1 - Simulated Data Center - Google Patents

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for performing a data center monitoring and management operation. The data center monitoring and management operation includes: selecting a data center asset for simulation; identifying a set of session input data for use during simulation; and, performing a data center asset simulation session operation for the data center asset based upon the set of session input data.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the Invention
• The present invention relates to information handling systems. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to performing a data center system monitoring and management operation.
Description of the Related Art
• As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• In one embodiment the invention relates to a method for performing a data center monitoring and management operation, comprising: selecting a data center asset for simulation; identifying a set of session input data for use during simulation; and, performing a data center asset simulation session operation for the data center asset based upon the set of session input data.
• In another embodiment the invention relates to a system comprising: a processor; a data bus coupled to the processor; and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program code, the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium being coupled to the data bus, the computer program code interacting with a plurality of computer operations and comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for: selecting a data center asset for simulation; identifying a set of session input data for use during simulation; and, performing a data center asset simulation session operation for the data center asset based upon the set of session input data.
• In another embodiment the invention relates to a computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for: selecting a data center asset for simulation; identifying a set of session input data for use during simulation; and, performing a data center asset simulation session operation for the data center asset based upon the set of session input data.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the several figures designates a like or similar element.
• FIG.1 shows a general illustration of components of an information handling system as implemented in the system and method of the present invention;
• FIG.2 shows a block diagram of a data center system monitoring and management environment;
• FIG.3 shows a functional block diagram of the performance of a data center monitoring and management operation;
• FIG.4 shows a simplified block diagram of an asset simulation session;
• FIG.5 is a simplified flowchart showing the performance of asset simulation session operations; and
• FIG.6 shows an example screen presentation of a user interface (UI) implemented to configure an asset simulation session.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for performing a data center system monitoring and management operation. Various aspects of the invention reflect an appreciation that it is common for a typical datacenter to monitor and manage many different assets, such as certain computing and networking devices, described in greater detail herein. Certain aspects of the invention likewise reflect an appreciation that such data center assets are typically implemented to work in combination with one another for a particular purpose. Likewise, various aspects of the invention reflect an appreciation that such purposes generally involve the performance of a wide variety of tasks, operations, and processes to service certain workloads.
• Various aspects of the invention reflect an appreciation that it is advantageous for data center operators maintain homogeneity within certain classes of data center assets. As an example, standardizing on a certain model of server with the same configuration from a single manufacturer can facilitate ongoing maintenance and problem resolution. However, certain aspects of the invention reflect an appreciation that a certain amount of variability is difficult to avoid. To continue the previous example, ensuring that all servers are running the same version of firmware and Operating System (OS) can be challenging.
• Likewise, certain aspects of the invention reflect an appreciation that such updates, and other changes, such as changing a data center asset's configuration, should be tested on test devices before they are applied to a production environment. As a result, data center operators are typically obliged to maintain a variety of data center assets for testing purposes. Certain aspects of the invention likewise reflect an appreciation that while it may be advisable to test such changes before they are implemented so service is not interrupted by unexpected behavior, it can be costly in terms of both time and money to maintain extra data center assets for testing purposes. Accordingly, various aspects of the invention reflect an appreciation that the ability to simulate the effect of certain changes to a particular data center asset, and an associated workload, would be advantageous. In particular, such an ability could reduce the cost and space currently allocated to maintaining data center assets used for testing, while simultaneously reducing the time it takes to run tests.
• For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.
• FIG.1 is a generalized illustration of aninformation handling system100 that can be used to implement the system and method of the present invention. Theinformation handling system100 includes a processor (e.g., central processor unit or “CPU”)102, input/output (I/O)devices104, such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad or touchscreen, and associated controllers, a hard drive ordisk storage106, and variousother subsystems108. In various embodiments, theinformation handling system100 also includesnetwork port110 operable to connect to anetwork140, which is likewise accessible by aservice provider server142. Theinformation handling system100 likewise includessystem memory112, which is interconnected to the foregoing via one ormore buses114.System memory112 further comprises operating system (OS)116 and in various embodiments may also comprise a data center monitoring andmanagement console118. In one embodiment, theinformation handling system100 is able to download the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 from theservice provider server142. In another embodiment, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 is provided as a service from theservice provider server142.
• In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may include amonitoring module120, amanagement module122, auser interface engine124, and ananalysis engine126, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to perform a data center monitoring and management operation. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring and management operation may be performed during operation of aninformation handling system100. In various embodiments, performance of the data center monitoring and management operation may result in the realization of improved monitoring and management of certain data center assets, as described in greater detail herein.
• FIG.2 is a simplified block diagram of a data center monitoring and management environment implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. As used herein, a data center broadly refers to a building, a dedicated space within a building, or a group of buildings, used to house a collection of interrelateddata center assets244 implemented to work in combination with one another for a particular purpose. As likewise used herein, adata center asset244 broadly refers to anything tangible, or intangible, that can be owned, controlled, or enabled to produce value as a result of its use within a data center. In certain embodiments, adata center asset244 may include a product, or a service, or a combination of the two.
• As used herein, a tangibledata center asset244 broadly refers todata center asset244 having a physical substance, such as a computing or network device. Examples of computing devices may include personal computers (PCs), laptop PCs, tablet computers, servers, mainframe computers, Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks (RAID) storage units, their associated internal and external components, and so forth. Likewise, examples of network devices may include routers, switches, hubs, repeaters, bridges, gateways, and so forth. Other examples of a tangibledata center asset244 may include certain data center personnel, such as a data center system administrator, operator, or technician, and so forth. Other examples of a tangibledata center asset244 may include certain maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) items, such as replacement and upgrade parts for a particulardata center asset244. In certain embodiments, such MRO items may be in the form of consumables, such as air filters, fuses, fasteners, and so forth.
• As likewise used herein, an intangibledata center asset244 broadly refers to adata center asset244 that lacks physical substance. Examples of intangibledata center assets244 may include software, firmware, and other non-physical, computer-based assets. Other examples of intangibledata center assets244 may include digital assets, such as structured and unstructured data of all kinds, still images, video images, audio recordings of speech, and other sounds, and so forth. Further examples of intangibledata center assets244 may include intellectual property, such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade names, franchises, goodwill, and knowledge resources, such asdata center asset244 documentation. Yet other examples of intangibledata center assets244 may include certain tasks, functions, operations, procedures, or processes performed by data center personnel. Those of skill in the art will recognize that many such examples of tangible and intangibledata center assets244 are possible. Accordingly, the foregoing is not intended to limit the spirit, scope or intent of the invention.
• In certain embodiments, the value produced by adata center asset244 may be tangible or intangible. As used herein, tangible value broadly refers to value that can be measured. Examples of tangible value may include return on investment (ROI), total cost of ownership (TCO), internal rate of return (IRR), increased performance, more efficient use of resources, improvement in sales, decreased customer support costs, and so forth. As likewise used herein, intangible value broadly refers to value that provides a benefit that may be difficult to measure. Examples of intangible value may include improvements in user experience, customer support, and market perception. Skilled practitioner of the art will recognize that many such examples of tangible and intangible value are possible. Accordingly, the foregoing is not intended to limit the spirit, scope or intent of the invention.
• In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 may include a data center monitoring andmanagement console118. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to perform a data center monitoring and management operation. As used herein, a data center monitoring and management operation broadly refers to any task, function, procedure, or process performed, directly or indirectly, within a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 to procure, deploy, configure, implement, operate, monitor, manage, maintain, or remediate adata center asset244.
• In certain embodiments, a data center monitoring and management operation may include a data center monitoring task. As used herein, a data center monitoring task broadly refers to any function, operation, procedure, or process performed, directly or indirectly, within a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 to monitor the operational status of a particulardata center asset244. In various embodiments, a particulardata center asset244 may be implemented to generate an alert if its operational status exceeds certain parameters. In these embodiments, the definition of such parameters, and the method by which they may be selected, is a matter of design choice.
• For example, an internal cooling fan of a server may begin to fail, which in turn may cause the operational temperature of the server to exceed its rated level. In this example, the server may be implemented to generate an alert, which provides notification of the occurrence of a data center issue. As used herein, a data center issue broadly refers to an operational situation associated with a particular component of a data monitoring andmanagement environment200, which if not corrected, may result in negative consequences. In certain embodiments, a data center issue may be related to the occurrence, or predicted occurrence, of an anomaly within the data center monitoring andmanagement environment200. In certain embodiments, the anomaly may be related to unusual or unexpected behavior of one or moredata center assets244.
• In certain embodiments, a data center monitoring and management operation may include a data center management task. As used herein, a data center management task broadly refers to any function, operation, procedure, or process performed, directly or indirectly, within a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 to manage a particulardata center asset244. In certain embodiments, a data center management task may include a data center deployment operation, a data center remediation operation, a data center remediation documentation operation, or a combination thereof.
• As used herein, a data center deployment operation broadly refers to any function, task, procedure, or process performed, directly or indirectly, within a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 to install a software file, such as a configuration file, a new software application, a version of an operating system, and so forth, on adata center asset244. As likewise used herein, a data center remediation operation broadly refers to any function, task, procedure, or process performed, directly or indirectly, within a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 to correct an operational situation associated with a component of a data monitoring andmanagement environment200, which if not corrected, may result in negative consequences. A data center remediation documentation operation, as likewise used herein, broadly refers to any function, task, procedure, or process performed, directly or indirectly, within a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 to retrieve, generate, revise, update, or store remediation documentation that may be used in the performance of a data center remediation operation.
• In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to receive an alert corresponding to a particular data center issue. In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to receive certain data associated with the operation of a particulardata center asset244. In certain embodiments, such operational data may be received through the use of telemetry approaches familiar to those of skill in the art. In various embodiments, the datacenter monitoring console118 may be implemented to process certain operational data received from a particular data center asset to determine whether a data center issue has occurred, is occurring, or is anticipated to occur.
• In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to include amonitoring module120, amanagement monitor122, a user interface (UI)engine124, and ananalysis engine126, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, themonitoring module120 may be implemented to monitor the procurement, deployment, implementation, operation, management, maintenance, or remediation of a particulardata center asset244 at any point in its lifecycle. In certain embodiments, themanagement module122 may be implemented to manage the procurement, deployment, implementation, operation, monitoring, maintenance, or remediation of a particulardata center asset244 at any point in its lifecycle. In various embodiments, theUI engine124 may be implemented to generate a UI for the provision, or receipt, of certain information associated with the monitoring, or management, of a particulardata center asset244. In various embodiments, some combination of themonitoring module120, themanagement module122 theUI engine124, and theanalysis engine126 may be implemented to conduct an asset simulation session, described in greater detail herein.
• In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 may include a repository of data center monitoring andmanagement data220. In certain embodiments, the repository of data center monitoring andmanagement data220 may be local to theinformation handling system100 executing the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 or may be located remotely. In various embodiments, the repository of data center monitoring andmanagement data220 may include certain information associated with datacenter asset data222, data center asset configuration rules224, datacenter infrastructure data226, datacenter remediation data228, and datacenter personnel data230.
• As used herein, datacenter asset data222 broadly refers to information associated with a particulardata center asset244, such as aninformation handling system100, or an associated workload, that can be read, measured, and structured into a usable format. For example, datacenter asset data222 associated with a particular server may include the number and type of processors it can support, their speed and architecture, minimum and maximum amounts of memory supported, various storage configurations, the number, type, and speed of input/output channels and ports, and so forth. In various embodiments, the datacenter asset data222 may likewise include certain performance and configuration information associated with a particular workload, as described in greater detail herein. In various embodiments, the datacenter asset data222 may include certain public or proprietary information related todata center asset244 configurations associated with a particular workload.
• In certain embodiments, the datacenter asset data222 may include information associated withdata center asset244 types, quantities, locations, use types, optimization types, workloads, performance, support information, and cost factors, or a combination thereof, as described in greater detail herein. In certain embodiments, the datacenter asset data222 may include information associated withdata center asset244 utilization patterns, likewise described in greater detail herein. In certain embodiments, the datacenter asset data222 may include information associated with the allocation of certain data center asset resources, described in greater detail herein, to a particular workload.
• As likewise used herein, a data centerasset configuration rule224 broadly refers to a rule used to configure a particulardata center asset244. In certain embodiments, one or more data center asset configuration rules224 may be used to verify that a particulardata center asset244 configuration is the most optimal for an associated location, or workload, or to interact with otherdata center assets244, or a combination thereof, as described in greater detail herein. In certain embodiments, the data centerasset configuration rule224 may be used in the performance of a data center asset configuration verification operation, a data center remediation operation, or a combination of the two. In certain embodiments, the data center asset configuration verification operation, or the data center remediation operation, or both, may be performed by anasset configuration system250. In certain embodiments, theasset configuration system250 may be used in combination with the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 to perform a data center asset configuration operation, or a data center remediation operation, or a combination of the two.
• As used herein,data center infrastructure226 data broadly refers to any data associated with a data center infrastructure component. As likewise used herein, a data center infrastructure component broadly refers to any component of a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 that may be involved, directly or indirectly, in the procurement, deployment, implementation, configuration, operation, monitoring, management, maintenance, or remediation of a particulardata center asset244. In certain embodiments, data center infrastructure components may include physical structures, such as buildings, equipment racks and enclosures, network and electrical cabling, heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) equipment and associated ductwork, electrical transformers and power conditioning systems, water pumps and piping systems, smoke and fire suppression systems, physical security systems and associated peripherals, and so forth. In various embodiments, data center infrastructure components may likewise include the provision of certain services, such as network connectivity, conditioned airflow, electrical power, and water, or a combination thereof.
• Datacenter remediation data228, as used herein, broadly refers to any data associated with the performance of a data center remediation operation, described in greater details herein. In certain embodiments, the datacenter remediation data228 may include information associated with the remediation of a particular data center issue, such as the date and time an alert was received indicating the occurrence of the data center issue. In certain embodiments, the datacenter remediation data228 may likewise include the amount of elapsed time before a corresponding data center remediation operation was begun after receiving the alert, and the amount of elapsed time before it was completed. In various embodiments, the datacenter remediation data228 may include information related to certain data center issues, the frequency of their occurrence, their respective causes, error codes associated with such data center issues, the respective location of eachdata center asset244 associated with such data center issues, and so forth.
• In various embodiments, the datacenter remediation data228 may include information associated withdata center asset244 replacement parts, or upgrades, or certain third party services that may need to be procured in order to perform the data center remediation operation. Likewise, in certain embodiments, related datacenter remediation data228 may include the amount of elapsed time before the replacement parts, ordata center asset244 upgrades, or third party services were received and implemented. In certain embodiments, the datacenter remediation data228 may include information associated with data center personnel who may have performed a particular data center remediation operation. Likewise, in certain embodiments, related datacenter remediation data228 may include the amount of time the data center personnel actually spent performing the operation, issues encountered in performing the operation, and the eventual outcome of the operation that was performed.
• In certain embodiments, the datacenter remediation data228 may include remediation documentation associated with a particulardata center asset244. In various embodiments, such remediation documentation may include information associated with certain attributes, features, characteristics, functional capabilities, operational parameters, and so forth, of a particulardata center asset244. In certain embodiments, such remediation documentation may likewise include information, such as step-by-step procedures and associated instructions, video tutorials, diagnostic routines and tests, checklists, and so forth, associated with remediating a particular data center issue.
• In certain embodiments, the datacenter remediation data228 may include information associated with any related remediation dependencies, such as other data center remediation operations that may need to be performed beforehand. In certain embodiments, the datacenter remediation data228 may include certain time restrictions when a data center remediation operation, such as rebooting a particular server, may be performed. In various embodiments, the datacenter remediation data228 may likewise include certain autonomous remediation rules, described in greater detail herein. In various embodiments, certain of these autonomous remediation rules may be used in the performance of an autonomous remediation operation, described in greater detail herein. Those of skill in the art will recognize that many such examples of datacenter remediation data228 are possible. Accordingly, the foregoing is not intended to limit the spirit, scope, or intent of the invention.
• Datacenter personnel data230, as used herein, broadly refers to any data associated with data center personnel who may be directly, or indirectly, involved in the procurement, deployment, configuration, implementation, operation, monitoring, management, maintenance, or remediation of a particulardata center asset244. In various embodiments, the datacenter personnel data230 may include job title, work assignment, or responsibility information corresponding to certain data center personnel. In various embodiments, the datacenter personnel data230 may include information related to the type, and number, of data center remediation operations currently being, or previously, performed by certain data center personnel. In various embodiments, the datacenter personnel data230 may include historical information, such as success metrics, associated with data center remediation operations performed by certain data center personnel, such as data center administrators, operators, and technicians. In these embodiments, the datacenter personnel data230 may be updated as individual data center personnel complete each data center remediation task, described in greater detail herein, they are assigned.
• In various embodiments, the datacenter personnel data230 may likewise include education, certification, and skill level information corresponding to certain data center personnel. Likewise, in various embodiments, the datacenter personnel data230 may include security-related information, such as security clearances, user IDs, passwords, security-related biometrics, authorizations, and so forth, corresponding to certain data center personnel. Those of skill in the art will recognize that many such examples of datacenter personnel data230 are possible. Accordingly, the foregoing is not intended to limit the spirit, scope, or intent of the invention.
• In certain embodiments, variousdata center assets244 within a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 may have certain interdependencies. As an example, a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 may have multiple servers interconnected by a storage area network (SAN) providing block-level access to various disk arrays and tape libraries. In this example, the servers, various physical and operational elements of the SAN, as well the disk arrays and tape libraries, are interdependent upon one another.
• In certain embodiments, eachdata center asset244 in a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 may be treated as a separatedata center asset244 and depreciated individually according to their respective attributes. As an example, a particular rack of servers in a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 may be made up of a variety of individual servers, each of which may have a different depreciation schedule. To continue the example, certain of thesedata center assets244 may be implemented in different combinations to produce an end result. To further illustrate the example, a particular server in the rack of servers may initially be implemented to query a database of customer records. As another example, the same server may be implemented at later time perform a sales analysis of sales associated with those same customer records.
• In certain embodiments, eachdata center asset244 in a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 may have an associated maintenance schedule and service contract. For example, a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 may include a wide variety of servers and storage arrays, which may respectively be manufactured by a variety of manufacturers. In this example, the frequency and nature of scheduled maintenance, as well as service contract terms and conditions, may be different for each server and storage array. In certain embodiments, the individualdata center assets244 in a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 may be configured differently, according to their intended use. To continue the previous example, various servers may be configured with faster or additional processors for one intended workload, while other servers may be configured with additional memory for other intended workloads. Likewise, certain storage arrays may be configured as one RAID configuration, while others may be configured as a different RAID configuration.
• In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 may likewise be implemented to include anasset configuration system250, aproduct configuration system252, aproduct fabrication system254, and asupply chain system256, or a combination thereof. In various embodiments, theasset configuration system250 may be implemented to perform certaindata center asset244 configuration operations. In certain embodiments, thedata center asset244 configuration operation may be performed to configure a particulardata center asset244 for a particular purpose. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to interact with theasset configuration system250 to perform a particulardata center asset244 configuration operation. In various embodiments, theasset configuration system250 may be implemented to generate, manage, and provide, or some combination thereof, data center asset configuration rules224. In certain of these embodiments, the data center asset configuration rules224 may be used to configure a particulardata center asset244 for a particular purpose.
• In certain embodiments, auser202 may use a user device204 to interact with the data center monitoring andmanagement console118. As used herein, a user device204 refers to an information handling system such as a personal computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, a mobile telephone, or other device that is capable of processing and communicating data. In certain embodiments, the communication of the data may take place in real-time or near-real-time. As used herein, real-time broadly refers to processing and providing information within a time interval brief enough to not be discernable by auser202.
• In certain embodiments, a user device204 may be implemented with acamera206, such as a video camera known to skilled practitioners of the art. In certain embodiments, thecamera206 may be integrated into the user device204. In certain embodiments, thecamera206 may be implemented as a separate device configured to interoperate with the user device204. As an example, a webcam familiar to those of skill in the art may be implemented receive and communicate various image and audio signals to a user device204 via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface.
• In certain embodiments, the user device204 may be configured to present a data center monitoring and management console user interface (UI)240. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console UI240 may be implemented to present agraphical representation242 of data center asset monitoring and management information, which is automatically generated in response to interaction with the data center monitoring andmanagement console118. In certain embodiments, theUI engine124 may be implemented to generate the data center monitoring andmanagement console UI240, or thegraphical representation242 presented therein, or both.
• In certain embodiments, a data center monitoring andmanagement application238 may be implemented on a particular user device204. In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement application238 may be implemented on a mobile user device204, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smart phone, a dedicated-purpose mobile device, and so forth. In certain of these embodiments, the mobile user device204 may be used at various locations within the data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 by theuser202 when performing a data center monitoring and management operation, described in greater detail herein.
• In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement application238 may be implemented to facilitate auser202, such as a data center administrator, operator, or technician, to perform a particular data center remediation operation. In various embodiments, such facilitation may include using the data center monitoring andmanagement application238 to receive a notification of a data center remediation task, described in greater detail herein, being assigned to the user. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to generate the notification of the data center remediation task assignment, and assign it to the user, as likewise described in greater detail herein. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to generate the data center remediation task, and once generated, provide it to the data center monitoring andmanagement application238 associated with the assigneduser202.
• In certain embodiments, such facilitation may include using the data center monitoring andmanagement application238 to receive the data center remediation task from the data center monitoring andmanagement console118. In various embodiments, such facilitation may include using the data center monitoring andmanagement application238 to confirm that theuser202 is at the correct physical location of a particulardata center asset244 associated with a corresponding data center issue. In certain of these embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement application238 may be implemented to include certain Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities, familiar to those of skill in the art, which may be used to determine the physical location of theuser202 in relation to the physical location of a particulardata center asset244.
• In various embodiments, such facilitation may include using the data center monitoring andmanagement application238 to ensure theuser202 is aware of, or is provided the location of, or receives, or a combination thereof, certain remediation resources, described in greater detail herein, that may be needed to perform a particular data center remediation operation. In various embodiments, such facilitation may include using the data center monitoring andmanagement application238 to view certain remediation documentation, or augmented instructions, related to performing a particular data center remediation operation. In various embodiments, such facilitation may include using the data center monitoring andmanagement application238 to certify that a particular data center remediation operation has been performed successfully.
• In certain embodiments theUI window240 may be implemented as a UI window of the data center monitoring andmanagement application238. In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement application238 may be implemented to include, in part or in whole, certain functionalities associated with the data center monitoring andmanagement console118. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement application238 may be implemented to interact in combination with the data center monitoring andmanagement console118, and other components of the data center monitoring andmanagement environment200, to perform a data center monitoring and management operation.
• In certain embodiments, the user device204 may be used to exchange information between theuser202 and the data center monitoring andmanagement console118, the data center monitoring andmanagement application238, theasset configuration system250, theproduct configuration system252, theproduct fabrication system254, and thesupply chain system256, or a combination thereof, through the use of anetwork140. In various embodiments, theasset configuration system250 may be implemented to configure a particulardata center asset244 to meet certain performance goals. In various embodiments, theasset configuration system250 may be implemented to use certain data center monitoring andmanagement data220, certain data centerasset configuration rules226 it may generate or manage, or a combination thereof, to perform such configurations.
• In various embodiments, theproduct configuration system252 may be implemented to use certain data center monitoring andmanagement data220 to optimally configure a particulardata center asset244, such as a server, for an intended workload. In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement data220 used by theproduct configuration system252 may have been generated as a result of certain data center monitoring and management operations, described in greater detail herein, being performed by the data center monitoring andmanagement console118. In various embodiments, theproduct configuration system252 may be implemented to provide certain product configuration information to aproduct fabrication system254. In various embodiments, theproduct fabrication system254 may be implemented to provide certain product fabrication information to a product fabrication environment (not shown). In certain embodiments, the product fabrication information may be used by the product fabrication environment to fabricate a product, such as a server, to match a particulardata center asset244 configuration.
• In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console UI240 may be presented via a website (not shown). In certain embodiments, the website may be provided by one or more of the data center monitoring andmanagement console118, theasset configuration system250, theproduct configuration system252, theproduct fabrication system254, or thesupply chain system256. In certain embodiments, thesupply chain system256 may be implemented to manage the provision, fulfillment, or deployment of a particulardata center asset244 produced in the product fabrication environment. For the purposes of this disclosure a website may be defined as a collection of related web pages which are identified with a common domain name and is published on at least one web server. A website may be accessible via a public IP network or a private local network.
• A web page is a document which is accessible via a browser which displays the web page via a display device of an information handling system. In various embodiments, the web page also includes the file which causes the document to be presented via the browser. In various embodiments, the web page may comprise a static web page, which is delivered exactly as stored and a dynamic web page, which is generated by a web application that is driven by software that enhances the web page viauser input208 to a web server.
• In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to interact with theasset configuration system250, theproduct configuration system252, theproduct fabrication system254, and the supply chain orfulfillment system256, or a combination thereof, each of which in turn may be executing on a separateinformation handling system100. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to interact with theasset configuration system250, theproduct configuration system252, theproduct fabrication system254, and the supply chain orfulfillment system256, or a combination thereof, to perform a data center monitoring and management operation, as described in greater detail herein.
• FIG.3 shows a functional block diagram of the performance of a data center monitoring and management operation implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In various embodiments, a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200, described in greater detail herein, may be implemented to include one or more data centers, such as data centers ‘1’346 through ‘n’348. As likewise described in greater detail herein, each of the data centers ‘1’346 through ‘n’348 may be implemented to include one or moredata center assets244, likewise described in greater detail herein.
• In certain embodiments, adata center asset244 may be implemented to process an associatedworkload360. Aworkload360, as used herein, broadly refers to a measure of information processing that can be performed by one or moredata center assets244, individually or in combination with one another, within a data center monitoring andmanagement environment200. In certain embodiments, aworkload360 may be implemented to be processed in a virtual machine (VM) environment, familiar to skilled practitioners of the art. In various embodiments, aworkload360 may be implemented to be processed as acontainerized workload360, likewise familiar to those of skill in the art.
• In certain embodiments, as described in greater detail herein, the data center monitoring andmanagement environment200 may be implemented to include a data center monitoring andmanagement console118. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to include amonitoring module120, amanagement module122, and a user interface (UI)engine124, or a combination thereof, as described in greater detail herein.
• As described in greater detail herein, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented in certain embodiments to perform a data center monitoring and management operation. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to provide a unified framework for the performance of a plurality of data center monitoring and management operations, by a plurality of users, within a common user interface (UI). In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118, and other components of the datacenter monitoring environment200, such as theasset configuration system250, may be implemented to be used by a plurality of users, such as users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312 shown inFIG.3. In various embodiments, certain data center personnel, such as users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312, may respectively interact with the data center monitoring andmanagement console118, and other components of the data center monitoring andmanagement environment200, through the use of an associated user device ‘A’304 through ‘x’314.
• In certain embodiments, such interactions may be respectively presented to users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312 within a user interface (UI)window306 through316, corresponding to user devices ‘A’304 through ‘x’314. In certain embodiments theUI window306 through316 may be implemented in a window of a web browser, familiar to skilled practitioners of the art. In certain embodiments, a data center monitoring and management application310 through320, described in greater detail herein, may be respectively implemented on user devices ‘A’304 through ‘x’314. In certain embodiments theUI window306 through316 may be respectively implemented as a UI window of the data center monitoring and management application310 through320. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring and management application310 through320 may be implemented to interact in combination with the data center monitoring andmanagement console118, and other components of the data center monitoring andmanagement environment200, to perform a data center monitoring and management operation.
• In certain embodiments, the interactions with the data center monitoring andmanagement console118, and other components of the data center monitoring andmanagement environment200, may respectively be presented as agraphical representation308 through318 withinUI windows306 through316. In various embodiments, such interactions may be presented to users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312 via adisplay device324, such as a projector or large display screen. In certain of these embodiments, the interactions may be presented to users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312 as agraphical representation338 within aUI window336.
• In certain embodiments, thedisplay device324 may be implemented in acommand center340, familiar to those of skill in the art, such as acommand center340 typically found in a data center or a network operations center (NOC). In various embodiments, one or more of the users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312 may be located within thecommand center340. In certain of these embodiments, thedisplay device324 may be implemented to be generally viewable by one or more of the users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312.
• In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring and management operation may be performed to identify thelocation350 of a particulardata center asset244. In certain embodiments, thelocation350 of adata center asset244 may be physical, such as the physical address of its associated data center, a particular room in a building at the physical address, a particular location in an equipment rack in that room, and so forth. In certain embodiments, thelocation350 of adata center asset244 may be non-physical, such as a network address, a domain, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), a file name in a directory, and so forth.
• Certain embodiments of the invention reflect an appreciation that it is not uncommon for large organization to have one or more data centers, such as data centers ‘1’346 through ‘n’348. Certain embodiments of the invention reflect an appreciation that it is likewise not uncommon for such data centers to have multiple data center system administrators and data center technicians. Likewise, various embodiments of the invention reflect an appreciation that it is common for a data center system administrator to be responsible for planning, initiating, and overseeing the execution of certain data center monitoring and management operations. Certain embodiments of the invention reflect an appreciation that it is common for a data center system administrator, such as user ‘A’302, to assign a particular data center monitoring and management operation to a data center technician, such as user ‘x’312, as a task to be executed.
• Certain embodiments of the invention reflect an appreciation that it is likewise common for a data center administrator, such as user ‘A’302, to assume responsibility for performing a particular data center monitoring and management operation. As an example, a data center administrator may receive a stream of data center alerts, each of which is respectively associated with one or more data center issues. To continue the example, several of the alerts may have an initial priority classification of “critical.” However, the administrator may notice that one such alert may be associated with a data center issue that is more critical, or time sensitive, than the others and should be remediated as quickly as possible. Accordingly, the data center administrator may elect to assume responsibility for remediating the data center issue, and as a result, proceed to perform an associated data center remediation operation at that time instead of assigning it to other data center personnel.
• Certain embodiments of the invention reflect an appreciation that the number ofdata center assets244 in a particular data center ‘1’346 through ‘n’348 may be quite large. Furthermore, it is not unusual for suchdata center assets244 to be procured, deployed, configured, and implemented on a scheduled, or as needed, basis. It is likewise common for certain existingdata center assets244 to be replaced, upgraded, reconfigured, maintained, or remediated on a scheduled, or as-needed, basis. Likewise, certain embodiments of the invention reflect an appreciation that such replacements, upgrades, reconfigurations, maintenance, or remediation may be oriented towards hardware, firmware, software, connectivity, or a combination thereof.
• For example, a data center system administrator may be responsible for the creation ofdata center asset244 procurement, deployment, configuration, and implementation templates, firmware update bundles, operating system (OS) and software application stacks, and so forth. Likewise, a data center technician may be responsible for receiving a procureddata center asset244, transporting it to a particulardata asset location350 in a particular data center ‘1’346 through ‘n’348, and implementing it in thatlocation350. The same, or another, data center technician may then be responsible for configuring thedata center asset244, establishing network connectivity, applying configuration files, and so forth. To continue the example, the same, or another, data center administrator or technician may be responsible for remediating hardware issues, such as replacing a disc drive in a server or Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) array, or software issues, such as updating a hardware driver or the version of a server's operating system. Accordingly, certain embodiments of the invention reflect an appreciation that a significant amount of coordination may be needed between data center system administrators and data center technicians to assure efficient and reliable operation of a data center.
• In various embodiments, certain data center monitoring and management operations may include a data center remediation operation, described in greater detail herein. In certain embodiments, a data center remediation operation may be performed to remediate aparticular data asset244 issue at a particulardata asset location350 in a particular data center ‘1’346 through ‘n’348. In certain embodiments, the data center remediation operation may be performed to ensure that a particular datacenter asset location350 in a particular data center ‘1’346 through ‘n’348 is available for the replacement or upgrade of an existingdata center asset244. As an example, a data center remediation operation may involve deployment of a replacement server that occupies more rack space than the server it will be replacing.
• In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118, or the data center monitoring and management application310 through320, or a combination of the two, may be implemented in a failure tracking mode to capture certaindata center asset244 telemetry. In various embodiments, thedata center asset244 telemetry may include data associated with the occurrence of certain events, such as the failure, or anomalous performance, of a particulardata center asset244, or an associatedworkload360, in whole, or in part. In certain embodiments, thedata center asset244 telemetry may be captured incrementally to provide a historical perspective of the occurrence, and evolution, of an associated data center issue.
• In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may likewise be implemented generate certain remediation operation notes. For example, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may enter certaindata center asset244 remediation instructions in the data center remediation operation notes. In various embodiments, the data center remediation operation notes may be implemented to contain information related todata center asset244 replacement or upgrade parts,data center asset244 files that may be needed, installation and configuration instructions related to such files, thephysical location350 of thedata center asset244, and so forth. In certain embodiments, aremediation task344 may be generated by associating the previously-generated data center remediation operation notes with the remediation documentation, data center asset files, orother remediation resources342 most pertinent to the data center issue, and the administrator, and any data center personnel selected or its remediation. As used herein, a datacenter remediation task344 broadly refers to one or more data center remediation operations, described in greater detail herein, that can be assigned to one or more users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312.
• Certain embodiments of the invention reflect an appreciation that a group of data center personnel, such as users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312, will likely possess different skills, certifications, levels of education, knowledge, experience, and so forth. As a result, remediation documentation that is suitable for certain data center personnel may not be suitable for others. For example, a relatively inexperienced data center administrator may be overwhelmed by a massive volume of detailed and somewhat arcane minutiae related to the configuration and administration of multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a large server. However, such remediation documentation may be exactly what a highly skilled and experienced data center administrator needs to remediate subtle server and VM configuration issues.
• Conversely, the same highly skilled and experienced data center administrator may be hampered, or slowed down, by being provided remediation documentation that is too simplistic, generalized, or high-level for the data center issue they may be attempting to remediate. Likewise, an administrator who is moderately skilled in configuring VMs may benefit from having step-by-step instructions, and corresponding checklists, when remediating a VM-related data center issue. Accordingly, as used herein, pertinent remediation documentation broadly refers to remediation documentation applicable to a corresponding data center issue that is most suited to the skills, certifications, level of education, knowledge, experience, and so forth of the data center personnel assigned to its remediation.
• In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to generate a corresponding notification of theremediation task344. In certain embodiments, the resulting notification of theremediation task344 assignment may be provided to the one or more users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312 assigned to perform theremediation task344. In certain embodiments, the notification of theremediation task344 assignment may be respectively provided to the one or more users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312 within theUI306 through316 of their respective user devices ‘A’304 through ‘x’314. In certain embodiments, the notification of theremediation task344 assignment, and theremediation task344 itself, may be implemented such that they are only visible to the users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312 to which it is assigned.
• In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to operate in a monitoring mode. As used herein, monitoring mode broadly refers to a mode of operation where certain monitoring information provided by the monitoring andmanagement console118 is available for use by one or more users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312. In certain embodiments, one or more of the users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312 may becommand center340 users. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to operate in a management mode. As used herein, management mode broadly refers to a mode of operation where certain operational functionality of the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 is available for use by a user, such as users ‘A’302 through ‘x’312.
• FIG.4 shows a simplified block diagram of an asset simulation session implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In various embodiments, a data center monitoring andmanagement console118, described in greater detail herein, may be implemented to include amonitoring module120, amanagement module122, auser interface engine124, and ananalysis engine126, or some combination thereof. In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to access certain data center monitoring andmanagement data220, likewise described in greater detail herein. In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement data220 may be stored in repositories ofasset222,configuration rule224,infrastructure226,remediation228, andpersonnel230 data.
• In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to conduct anasset simulation session402. As used herein, anasset simulation session402 broadly refers to a computer session where the operation of a tangibledata center asset244, described in greater detail herein, and an associatedworkload360, likewise described in greater detail herein, is digitally reproduced in a computer simulation to generate one or more associated asset simulation session results434. Skilled practitioners of the art will be familiar with computer simulation, which generally refers to creating a computing environment that mimics the behavior and configuration of a real device, such as adata center asset244.
• In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to use certain asset simulationsession input data404 in combination with certain assetsimulation session operations420 to generate a particularasset simulation session402. In various embodiments, the asset simulationsession input data404 may include certain data center monitoring andmanagement data220, described in greater detail herein. In certain embodiments, the asset simulationsession input data404 may be related to a particulardata center asset244, and an associatedworkload360.
• In various embodiments, the asset simulationsession input data404 may include certain datacenter asset profile406 data. In various embodiments, the datacenter asset profile406 data may be implemented to include thetype408, class, or model of aparticular data asset244, itsage408, or lifecycle status, data associated with one ormore workloads414 it may be assigned to process, and certain data related to which type and version of firmware, operating system (OS), and virtualization it may be running. Those of skill in the art will recognize that theasset profile data406 may be implemented to include other types of data associated with a particulardata center asset244, or an associatedworkload360, such as data related to the current utilization of thedata center asset244. Accordingly, the foregoing is not intended to limit the spirit, scope, or intent of the invention.
• In various embodiments, theoperational history data416, may be implemented to include certain operational data associated with a particulardata center asset244, or an associatedworkload360, or both, at certain points in time. As an example, a server may have been implemented with a particular version of firmware and OS when it was first deployed in a data center. At that time it may have also been assigned aparticular workload360, such as hosting a web site.
• In this example, the volume of web traffic has quadrupled within twelve months. During that same period of time, response times and throughput has declined by twenty percent. To continue the example, the most recent firmware for the server was applied at the end of the twelve months, along with upgrading its OS to the most current version to take advantage of all patches that had been issued since the server was first deployed. As a result, the response time and throughput of the server returned to its former levels. Accordingly, theoperational history data416 contains information related to the original version of the server's firmware and OS, the workload it was assigned, the decline in response times and throughput over time, the application of new versions of its firmware and OS, and the resulting improvement in its performance.
• In various embodiments, the asset simulationsession input data406 may be implemented to include certain current operational status data418 associated with a particular data center. Examples of current operational status data418 include the current operating health of a data center asset, the current utilization of its associated resources, such as memory and storage, its current response time and throughput, the volume of data it is currently processing for an associatedworkload360. In various embodiments, the current operational status data418 may be provided by the implementation of certain telemetry approaches familiar to those of skill in the art.
• In various embodiments, the assetsimulation session operations420 may be implemented to include the simulation of certain data center asset monitoring and management operations, described in greater detail herein, during a particularasset simulation session402. In certain embodiments, the assetsimulation session operations420 may be implemented to includereboot422 of the data center asset, updating itsfirmware424 orOS426, updating its configuration428, changing itsworkload430, or a custom asset simulation operation432, or a combination thereof. In various embodiments, certain assetsimulation session operations420 may be implemented to include one or more parameter settings. As an example, theOS update426 assetsimulation session operation420 may be implemented to allow a user to select a particular version of an OS to use when updating a server. Skilled practitioners of the art will recognize that many such embodiments of an assetsimulation session operation420, and examples of associated parameters, are possible. Accordingly, the foregoing is not intended to limit the spirit, scope, or intent of the invention.
• In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to use theanalysis engine126 to analyze certain monitoring andmanagement220 data to determine which data is most relevant for use during a particularasset simulation session402. In certain embodiments, theanalysis engine126 may be implemented to automatically select which data to use for a particularasset simulation session402. In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to use theUI engine124 generate a data center monitoring and management console UI window to present certain monitoring andmanagement data220 for manual selection by a user.
• In various embodiments, theanalysis engine126 may be implemented to recommend which data to use for a particularasset simulation session402. In certain of these embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to use theUI engine124 generate a data center monitoring and management console UI window to present such recommendations to a user for selection. In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to use theUI engine124 generate a data center monitoring and management console UI window to present certain assetsimulation session operations420 to a user for selection. In these embodiments, the method by which theanalysis engine126 is implemented to select certain monitoring andmanagement data220 for use in a particularasset simulation session402 is a matter of design choice.
• In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to use theanalysis engine126 to perform ananalysis436 of theresults434 of a particularassets simulation session402. In various embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to use certain data center monitoring andmanagement data220 associated with a particular class ofdata center assets244, and their associatedworkloads360, when performing theanalysis436. In various embodiments, theanalysis engine126 may be implemented to use certain data center monitoring andmanagement data220 associated with a particular class ofdata center assets244, and their associatedworkloads360, to generate a predictive model. In various embodiments, the predictive model may be implemented to provide an indication of the likely result of performing the assetsimulation session operations420 selected for use in anasset simulation session402 on its associateddata center asset244.
• As an example, the operation of a particular server, which has been implemented to host a web site, may have been selected to simulated during a particularasset simulation session402. Accordingly, assetsimulation session data404 associated with the server, along with certain assetsimulation session operations420, is used during theasset simulation session402 to generate associated asset simulation session results434. In this example, forty nine other servers, manufactured by the same manufacturer and having the same configuration, may have likewise been implemented to respectively host forty nine different websites, each of which has a varying number of web pages and volume of usage.
• To continue the example, each of the fifty servers belong to a class of servers having the samedata center asset244 configuration and the same type ofworkload360, which is hosting a web site. To continue the example further, the data center monitoring andmanagement system118 may be implemented to use theanalysis engine126 to use certain data center monitoring andmanagement data220 associated with the other forty nine servers, and their associatedworkloads360, to generate a predictive model. In turn, the analysis engine may be implemented in certain embodiments to use the predictive model when performing theanalysis436.
• In certain embodiments, the assetsimulation session analysis436 may be implemented to include an anticipated probability ofimprovement438 if the assetsimulation session operations420 selected for use in theasset simulation session402 were to be performed on thedata center asset244 that was simulated during its associated theasset simulation session402. In certain embodiments, the assetsimulation session analysis436 may be implemented to include anypotential issues440 should the assetsimulation session operations420 selected for use in theasset simulation session402 were to be performed on thedata center asset244 that was simulated during its associated theasset simulation session402. In certain embodiments, the assetsimulation session analysis436 may be implemented to providerecommendations442 for overcoming any potential issues should the assetsimulation session operations420 selected for use in theasset simulation session402 were to be performed on thedata center asset244 that was simulated during its associated theasset simulation session402. In certain embodiments, the assetsimulation session analysis436 may be implemented to include an assessment of the ability to replicate444 theresults434 of theasset simulation session402 should the assetsimulation session operations420 selected for use in theasset simulation session402 were to be performed on thedata center asset244 that was simulated during its associated theasset simulation session402.
• In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console118 may be implemented to use theUI engine124 generate a data center monitoring and management console UI window to receivefeedback446 related to assetsimulation session analysis436. In various embodiments,such feedback446 may be used to change the selection of the assetsimulation session operations420, which is then used to conduct a newasset simulation session402. In certain embodiments, this data center asset simulation process is iteratively repeated to determine whether the performance of thedata center asset244, and its associatedworkload360, can be improved. Skilled practitioners of the art will recognize that many such embodiments are possible. Accordingly. the foregoing is not intended to limit the spirit, scope, or intent of the invention.
• FIG.5 is a simplified flowchart showing the performance of data center asset simulation operations implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, asset simulation session operations are begun instep502, followed by the selection of a data center asset, and an associated workload, to simulate instep504. Certain asset simulation session input data, described in greater detail herein, is then selected instep506, followed by the selection of certain asset simulation session operations, likewise described in greater detail herein, instep508. The selected asset simulation session input data and operations are then used instep510 to conduct the asset simulation session and generate associated asset simulation session results.
• An analysis of the asset simulation session results, described in greater detail herein, is then performed instep512, followed by a review of the analysis instep514. A determination is then made in step516 whether to revise any of the previously-selected asset simulation session operations and conduct the asset simulation session once again with the revised asset simulation session operations. If so, the process is continued, proceeding withstep508.
• Otherwise, a determination is made in step518 whether to perform the most-recently selected asset simulation operations on the data center asset associated with the current asset simulation session (the production asset). If so, then the most-recently selected asset simulation operations are performed on the data center asset associated with the current asset simulation session instep520. Thereafter, or if it was determined in step518 not to perform the most-recently selected asset simulation operations on the data center asset associated with the current asset simulation session, then a determination is made instep522 whether to end asset simulation session operations. If not, then the process is continued, proceeding withstep504. Otherwise, asset simulation session operations are ended instep524.
• FIG.6 shows an example screen presentation of a user interface (UI) implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention to configure an asset simulation session. In this embodiment, a data center monitoring andmanagement console UI602 is implemented to display anasset simulation console604 window and anasset simulation configuration614 window. As shown inFIG.6, a user may enter a query, such as “What's my firmware status?” into auser query field606. In response, the data center monitoring andmanagement console UI602 may be implemented to respond with one or more responses, such as “Five out of six boundaries are fully up to date.” and “Baseline ‘Production 13G470s’ has two recommended updates. You can test the effect of these updates by starting a new simulation.” respectively within console response fields608 and610.
• In certain embodiments, the data center monitoring andmanagement console UI602 may be implemented to respond with one or more command buttons, such as “Configure Simulation”612. In this embodiment, the user selects the “Configure Simulation”612 command button through the use of a user gesture, such as a mouse click. As a result, theasset simulation configuration614 window is displayed within theUI602 of the data center monitoring and management console. As likewise shown inFIG.6, theasset simulation configuration614 window may be implemented to include a “Simulation Identification”616 sub-window, a “Simulation Asset Profile”622 sub-window, and a “Simulation Operations”630 sub-window.
• In this embodiment, the “Simulation Identification”616 sub-window is implemented with a “Name”618 data entry field and a “Description”620 data entry field. In certain embodiments, the user may respectively select an asset simulation session name of their choice, and describe it accordingly in the “Name”618 and “Description”620 data entry fields. In certain embodiments, the “Simulation Asset Profile”622 sub-window may be implemented with a datacenter asset selection624 drop-down window, an operating system (OS)version626 selection drop-down window, and aworkload628 selection drop-down window, or a combination thereof. In this embodiment, the data center asset selection1026,OS selection626, andworkload selection628 sub-windows are respectively implemented to allow a user to select a particular data center asset, OS, and associated workload for simulation in an associated asset simulation session.
• Likewise, the “Simulation Operations”630 sub-window is implemented contain a “Reboot”632 selection box, a “Firmware Update”634 selection box, an “OS Update”636 selection box, a “Configuration Update”638 selection box, a “Workload Change”640 selection box, and a “Custom Operation”642 selection box. As shown inFIG.6, selecting the “Run”1140 command button results in user input and selections within the “Simulation Description”616 sub-window, “Simulation Asset Profile”622 sub-window, and the “Simulation Operations”630 sub-window being used to initiate an asset simulation session.
• As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the present invention may be embodied as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention may be implemented entirely in hardware, entirely in software (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or in an embodiment combining software and hardware. These various embodiments may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module,” or “system.” Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable storage medium having computer-usable program code embodied in the medium.
• Any suitable computer usable or computer readable medium may be utilized. The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, or a magnetic storage device. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
• Computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may be written in an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like. However, the computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).
• Embodiments of the invention are described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
• These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
• The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
• The present invention is well adapted to attain the advantages mentioned as well as others inherent therein. While the present invention has been depicted, described, and is defined by reference to particular embodiments of the invention, such references do not imply a limitation on the invention, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The invention is capable of considerable modification, alteration, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to those ordinarily skilled in the pertinent arts. The depicted and described embodiments are examples only, and are not exhaustive of the scope of the invention.
• Consequently, the invention is intended to be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims, giving full cognizance to equivalents in all respects.

Claims (20)

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implementable method for performing a data center monitoring and management operation, comprising:

selecting a data center asset for simulation;

identifying a set of session input data for use during simulation; and,

performing a data center asset simulation session operation for the data center asset based upon the set of session input data.

2. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising:

performing a simulation analysis on results of the asset simulation session operation.

3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein:

the simulation analysis is implemented to provide at least one of a probability of improvement analysis, a potential issue analysis, a recommendation of potential issue analysis, and an ability to replicate analysis.

4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein:

the data center asset simulation session operation performs at least one of a plurality of simulation operations, the plurality of simulation operations comprising a reboot simulation operation, a firmware update simulation operation, an operating system update simulation operation, a configuration update simulation operation, a workload change simulation operation and a custom simulation operation.

5. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising:

performing the data center asset simulation session operation on the data center asset.

6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein:

the data center asset simulation session operation is configured via an asset simulation session user interface.

7. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program code, the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium being coupled to the data bus, the computer program code interacting with a plurality of computer operations and comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for:

selecting a data center asset for simulation;

identifying a set of session input data for use during simulation; and,

performing a data center asset simulation session operation for the data center asset based upon the set of session input data.

8. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the instructions executable by the processor are further configured for:

performing a simulation analysis on results of the asset simulation session operation.

9. The system ofclaim 8, wherein:

the simulation analysis is implemented to provide at least one of a probability of improvement analysis, a potential issue analysis, a recommendation of potential issue analysis, and an ability to replicate analysis.

10. The system ofclaim 7, wherein:

the data center asset simulation session operation performs at least one of a plurality of simulation operations, the plurality of simulation operations comprising a reboot simulation operation, a firmware update simulation operation, an operating system update simulation operation, a configuration update simulation operation, a workload change simulation operation and a custom simulation operation.

11. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the instructions executable by the processor are further configured for:

performing the data center asset simulation session operation on the data center asset.

12. The system ofclaim 7, wherein:

the data center asset simulation session operation is configured via an asset simulation session user interface.

13. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

selecting a data center asset for simulation;

identifying a set of session input data for use during simulation; and,

performing a data center asset simulation session operation for the data center asset based upon the set of session input data.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

performing a simulation analysis on results of the asset simulation session operation.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 14, wherein:

the simulation analysis is implemented to provide at least one of a probability of improvement analysis, a potential issue analysis, a recommendation of potential issue analysis, and an ability to replicate analysis.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 14, wherein:

the data center asset simulation session operation performs at least one of a plurality of simulation operations, the plurality of simulation operations comprising a reboot simulation operation, a firmware update simulation operation, an operating system update simulation operation, a configuration update simulation operation, a workload change simulation operation and a custom simulation operation.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

performing the data center asset simulation session operation on the data center asset.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 17, wherein:

the data center asset simulation session operation is configured via an asset simulation session user interface.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 13, wherein:

the computer executable instructions are deployable to a client system from a server system at a remote location.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 13, wherein:

the computer executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a user on an on-demand basis.

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